Commission says yes to storage units, negotiating manager contract

The Polson City Commission considered two developments and decided whether to pursue an employment contract with City Manager Ed Meece during a public hearing and regular meeting Monday night. 

First, K-9 Police Officer Jager made a boisterous appearance at City Hall, as Polson Police Chief George Simpson commended the German shorthaired pointer and his handler, Officer Cody Doyle, for “six years of dedicated service.”

Although Doyle will continue with the force, his canine sidekick is retiring to the Doyle household. “No more long nights on patrol or early mornings on duty, just days filled with play, treats and lots of belly rubs,” said Simpson.

During his years on the force, Jager has been skillful at finding hidden narcotics and tracking down suspects, talents that made him “an invaluable member of our team,” Simpson said.

The chief also noted that K9 Jager “has participated in countless demonstrations and community events, captivating the hearts of children and adults alike with his friendly demeanor and disciplined behavior.”

However, “disciplined” wasn’t a very accurate adjective for the exuberant K9 officer at Monday’s meeting. He clearly had retirement and tennis balls on his mind.

In his comments to the commission, City Manager Meece said that Polson’s application for a RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation had been rejected. The $1.7 million grant would have funded the design for a proposed connector from the Ridgewater Development to downtown Polson along 7th Ave. E. and Hillcrest.

Meece said city officials would meet with the Federal Highway Administration to learn how to improve their application. Meanwhile, the engineering firm of DJ&A is conducting a traffic study on the proposed route.

Bob Vosen, administrator for the Montana Department of Highway’s Missoula District, told the commission that his department is working with S&K Gaming, the City of Polson and Lake County to develop a traffic impact study for the new casino that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes plan to build west of town.

The goal is to address traffic flow and minimize congestion at the intersection of U.S. Highway 93, Rocky Point Road and Irvine Flats Road.

“This is truly a project where we've got multiple entities trying to work together and come up with the best solution possible for everyone,” Vosen said.

Scott Biggs, who owns The Shoe restaurant and other property in the area, encouraged Vosen and Meece to keep local stakeholders “involved in the dialogue.”

He also asked whose responsibility it is to paint the Polson bridge, which has become “a lovely shade of rust.”

Vosen replied that the department, statewide, faces “a tremendous bridge-funding deficit.” He noted that, despite its rusty hue, Polson’s bridge is perfectly safe as attested by an inspection this spring.

“We've got a surface rust issue. We don't have a structural rust issue,” he said.

Development would add elder housing units

The Polson City Commission heard about two proposed developments Monday. The first, discussed during a public hearing, was the proposed Polson Garden development of 24 units of senior housing on 7th Ave. E.

Designed for ages 55 and up, the development would include six fourplexes of affordable single-level dwellings. Each unit would contain two two-bedroom apartments and two one-bedroom apartments, located in the field south of the Immaculate Conception Church.

Tyler Currence of the Missoula firm Housing Solutions said the hearing was an effort to solicit public comment from the commission and the community as part of an application for funding through the Montana Board of Housing.

Housing Solutions is seeking tax credits from the housing board to help fund the project. If approved, they will also seek a housing loan from the Coal Trust Fund.

He estimated that rents, which would be kept well below market rates, would range from $645-$915 a month and include water and electricity. The development, which could be accessed from both 6th and 7th avenues, would have an on-site site manager and community room. If the project receives funding, Currence estimated that construction would start by next July and be completed by July 2026.

Jeanne Maas, who resides at the end of 6th Ave. E., told commissioners the “project is literally 10 feet out my dining-room door.”

“I have concerns about how this will affect our little neighborhood and we’d really like to be involved,” she said.

Two nearby property owners voiced concerns about whether the development would be required to pay property taxes. “It sounds like you’re bringing in another tax-free outfit that’ll cause local taxes go up,” said Chris Balstad.

Currence said the development would pay property taxes and noted that was a criterion for a Coal Trust loan.

Commissioner Carolyn Pardini voiced support for the project and suggested the developers work closely with the neighborhood during the construction phase. “I think it’s a great idea,” she added.

If funding is approved, developers will need to return to the city with a formal development plan.

More than 450 storage Units planned for Hwy. 35

The commission also approved a special use permit for 462 storage units along Highway 35, with a few minor tweaks regarding lighting and the height of structures inside the facility.

The developers, Eric and Claire Matten of Dream Island, and engineers and designers from IMEG Corp of Missoula were on hand for the discussion.

The project passed muster with the City-County Planning Board last week, and the developers met last Friday with the Mission Bay Homeowners Association as well.

The developers plan to incorporate a mixture of heights, ranging from 10 to 21 feet, and use fencing and landscaping to help screen the storage units from adjacent properties, which include Mission Bay homeowners and Eagle’s Nest RV Resort.

In her comments about the project, Claire Matten said the units would be accessible to clients from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily; lighting would be shielded and directed downward, with an effort to minimize the impact at night with sensors; storage of lithium batteries (which tend to catch fire) would be prohibited; and no businesses would be allowed to run out of the facility.

The development won’t have restrooms, “because that does tend to encourage lingering visits,” she said.

There was some discussion of drainage, and the project engineer said they were working with adjacent land owners and the golf course on plans to repurpose storm water from the development.

Mike Shoquist, who lives in Mission Bay, told the commission that without a good drainage plan “every drop of water is going to filter into our homes.”

He urged the city “to make sure that some of these things that we're agreeing about are in writing so there's some teeth to what they say they will do.”

Majority votes to negotiate Meece contract

The commission also considered a resolution of intent to renew Ed Meece’s contract as city manager. His current contract expires Sept. 30 and without the commission signaling its intent to enter good-faith negotiations to renew by July 16, a requirement to provide severance pay could be triggered.

Mayor Eric Huffine, who said he had received “quite a few phone calls and a lot of people reaching out,” began that portion of the meeting with his own perspective on serving in city government.

He said he ran for mayor in part out of his own frustration as a business owner with the pace of city government. “And I can tell you, this looks so much different from the inside than it does from the outside,” he said. He told the audience, “I've never been so frustrated in my life on what it takes to get something achieved around here.”

However, Huffine pointed out that while he manages a crew of 30 people, the city manager manages up to 75 and has “seven bosses sitting up here that are kind of doing this as a hobby … so he’s also a teacher.”

He acknowledged that Meece can be “a little abrasive,” but added, “We're learning how to work together, we're learning how to understand one another, we're learning how to communicate.”

Out of around 20 people, only four members of the public spoke.

“There seems to be a growing frustration with a lot of people that have to interface with the city,” Scott Biggs told the commission. “Why aren't you here to make everybody happy and see if you can nurture what they need, instead of constantly just popping up with another miserable regulation, restriction, covenant, code, something that says no? Let's start with the yes.”

He also encouraged the city manager to spend more time reaching out to the community.

Another Polson resident chastised Meece for allowing the city crew to remove political signs in his yard during the last election cycle.

Jennifer Finley spoke as a Polson resident, taxpayer and member of the Tribal Council.

“We have loved working with Ed Meece,” she said. “He has been very helpful to us in the sense that he takes time to educate himself, and I believe that he is always fair.”

“I think he's very skilled at having really hard conversations in places where people can be very contentious and anti-tribal,” she added. “We've really appreciated that, because we do all have to work together.”

The mayor and four commissioners voted for the resolution to begin negotiations with Meece, while commissioners Pardini and Lisa Rehard voted against the measure.

In other business, the commission unanimously voted to annex 2 Rung Lane at the request of property owner/manager Kyle Pearce and approved an open-container permit for Polson Rotary’s annual Brewfest, slated for Aug. 10 in tandem with a car show on Main Street.